1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to so-called LED (“Light Emitting Diode”) lamps. More particularly, the invention relates to such a lamp which is intended to be mounted in a motor vehicle light. It will be noted however that no departure from the scope of the invention is involved if the LED lamp is intended for the interior lighting of a motor vehicle or for the lighting of a property.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Currently, the lights of a motor vehicle have complex and varied geometries and the integration of LED lamps or conventional bulb lamps requires the use of electrical power supply supports for the lamps which are sufficiently flexible.
LED lamps exist which comprise two electrical contacts for powering the LED. These contacts may be simple electrical stems, or lugs, which make it possible to link the LED to a power supply circuit by welding. These power supply circuits are printed circuit boards, or PCBs, but these circuits are rigid.
There also exist flexible circuits incorporating LEDs of SMC, or surface mounted component, type, but the methods of mounting these LEDs on these flexible circuits are expensive.
French Patent Application FR 2 876 965 may moreover be cited, which describes an LED support comprising two conducting tracks for joining by welding with said LEDs. However, this type of support is not sufficiently flexible to adapt to the current geometries of vehicle lights. Furthermore, this document describes a linking of the LEDs to the circuit by welding which requires the addition of further materials such as solder paste or tin.
Other LED lamps have electrical contacts which have a plane form and which are intended to be clinched to conducting tracks suitable for clinching. Clinching consists in permanently joining two metal sheets by stamping the two sheets placed between a punch and a die. Moreover, current clinched LEDs are mounted on rigid circuits.
Moreover, Canadian Patent Application CA 2 562 357 may be cited, which describes a metal circuit supporting light emitting diodes, but this support circuit is rigid and does not offer sufficient freedom of arrangement of the LEDs. Furthermore, this document describes an LED having contacts in the form of stems which are crimped to conducting wires. However, this crimping process is not suitable for other types of LED such as, for example, clinched LEDs. Furthermore, the conducting wires used do not allow sufficient dissipation of the heat of the LEDs.
A requirement therefore exists to provide an LED lamp which can address the various problems mentioned above.